Hydrocarbon-feeding system for vaporizing devices



I. E. ASKE Feb. 25, I930.

HYDROCARBON FEEDING SYSTEM FOR VAPORIZING DEVICES Filed Jan. 1925 I III Illl I I l INVENTOR. 8%, a 4% ATTORNEYS.

CEEEE Patented Feb. 25, 1930 PATENT oFFcE IRVING E. AsKE, or DULUTH, MINNESOTA HYDROCARBON-FEEDING SYSTEM FOR VAPORIZING DEVICES Application filed January 5, 1926. Serial No. 79,337.

My invention relates to devices for automatically feeding hydrocarbon to a vaporizing device, and has for its object the provision of novel and simple means whereby a portion 5 of liquid hydrocarbon, or wet hydrocarbon vapor, for combustion in the cylinder of an internal explosion engine may, on its way to such cylinder, be automatically and positively conducted to a pre-heating, vaporizer 10 adapted to transform it into heated fumes.

Another object is to provide a simple and eflicient device of the character indicated comprising a novel form of horizontal type carbureter: With these and other objects in view, it consists of the constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. -1 1s a central vertical longitudinal section, partly in elevation, of a horizontal type carbureter embodying my invention and showing a vaporizing element positioned therein. Fig. 2, is a central'vertical transverse sectionof said horizontal type carbureter.

In a vertical type carbureter, the hydrocarbon fuel feeds considerably above the horizontal line of the air intake and in using a similar vaporizer or pre-heatlng element in connection with such vertical type, dependence for a flow of the fuel to the vaporizer has been had upon raising a column of fuel through-the spray nozzle'of the carbureter, by closing the air choke and operating the engine pistons to create a vacuum, then opening the air choke to destroy the vacuum, thus permitting the fuel column to fall back, thereby causing some of the fuel to splash or drain back into an adjacent vaporizer chamber. It is not practicable, however, to use that method with a horizontal type of carbureter; nor has it been wholly satisfactor in connection with a vertical type, especlally when the engine is running at high cranking speed, since there is frequently not sufficient drain back or splash to fill the vaporizer chamber, and the heating element sometimes therefore burns out. My present invention provides a positive direct and reliable means and method of automatically 5 filling the vaporizer chamber and prevents the burning out of the heating element from lack of moisture.

In the drawings, V1 is a carbureter bowl communicating with a carbureter throat 2 through a spray nozzle 3 and through a vaporizer chamber 4. Said spray nozzle is governed by a needle valve 3. Said throat is adapted at one end, as at 2*, to receive air, and is provided at said end with a choke Valve 5, to control or stop the admission of said air. The opposite end of said throat is provided with a throttle valve 6, and is provided with a flange 2 for connecting it to a manifold, not shown.

Within said vaporizer chamber is an electric vaporizer 7 of any suitable construction, preferably including an electric resistance wire partly buried'in a sponge of asbestos.

Said carburetor bowl contains a float 8 and -a needle valve 9 for regulating the flow of ing pipe 11, to said vaporizer chamber near 1 the upper end thereof but a? little below the plane of the upper end of the heating element therein, thus permitting the vaporizer chamber to retain a reserve of fuel received through said pipe which will not drain back through the pipe, and also permitting the heating element to extend above the level of the liquid in the chamber as is desirable in orderto efiectively vaporize the fuel instead of merely boiling it. It will be observed that when the air choke valve is closed and the engine is turning over, the suction of the piston will effect a very great reduction of' atmospheric pressure in the air intake pipe, carbureter throat, chamber 4 and space above the fuel in pipe 11. The fuel will then flow from the carbureter bowl through the fuel spray nozzle of the carbureter into the carbureter throat and manifold. But because of the limitations of the valve-controlled nozzle, the flow therethrough will not be at sufficient speed and in suflicient volume to reduce the atmospheric pressure in the bowl, or compensate the reduction of pressure in the air intake, chamber 4, carbureter throat and manifold. The continuing pressure in the bowl and the continuing reduction of I plenished through the pipe 10. The amount of flow will depend upon the degree of pressure reduction in the air intake and carbureter throat.

In operation, hydrocarbon of any suitable character, such as gasoline, flows to thecarbureter bowl from said pipe 10 under the control of said needle valve and float, as is well known to the art, and rises to an equal level in said connecting pipe 11. When it is desired to start the engine,'the air choke valve is. first closed and electric current is turned into the heating element or vaporizer. The engine is then cranked in any suitable manner and the suction of the pistons creates a partial vacuum in the carbureter throat and vaporizer chamber, .thus drawing fumes from said heater and drawing gasoline from said carbureter bowl up into said vaporizer chamber. If desired the heating element may be energized a few seconds before cranking the engine, and'when the engine is then cranked the vaporizer will instantly supply dense clouds of heated fumes available for starting the cold engine. After the engine is started,

- the air choke valve may be opened, and the:

electric current may be turned off from the vaporizer, or, if desired the operation of the vaporizer may be continued longer, or intermittently, as occasion may require. The vaporizer chamber is preferably made large enough to contain a considerable supply, or

fuel from said reservoir to said throat, a choke valve for governing the flow of air through said conduit, a fuel preheating chamber communicating with said air conduit between said choke valve and said throat, said reservoir being provided with a second fuel discharge port adapted to discharge into said preheating chamber at a point above the normal level of fuel in said bowl and only when said choke valve is operated to reduce the" how of air-into said conduit and when a par- 2 when a partial vacuum is created in said conduit and throat, and means for heating said chamber.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

IRVING E. ASKE.

reserve of gasoline to be heated for the cylinders when starting the engine, and to prevent the vaporizer from becoming too dry and burning out.

What I claim is: 1. The combination of a carbureter throat,

an air intake conduit communicating withsaid throat, a fuel reservoir, a choke valve [for governing the flow of air through said air conduit, a fuel preheating chamber communicating with said air conduit between said chokevalve and said throat, said reservoir bemg provided with afuel discharge port adapted to discharge into said preheating chamber at a point above the normal level of I fuel in said reservoir only when said choke valve is operated to reduce the flow of air into said air intake conduit.

2. The combination'of a carbureter throat, an air intake conduit adaptedto discharge into said throat, a fuel reservoir adapted to I contain liquid fuel and adapted to discharge into said throat, a source of fuel supply. for

said reservoir, automatic means for govern- -mg the flow of fuel from said source nto sald reservoir, a valve for governing'the' flow of 

